Velocipede



T. B. JEFFBRY.

(No Model.)

VELOGIPEDE.

No. 366,218. Patented Jul 1-2, 1887.

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UNITED STATES THOMAS E. JEFFERY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,218, dated July 12,1887.

Application filed October 14, 1886. Serial No. 216,213. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. Jnrrnnv, a citizen of the United States,residing at Uhicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, which arefully set forth in the following specification, reference beinghad tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, wherein- Figure 1 isa plan of the head and handlebars. Fig. 2 is avertical section at X X,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an axial section of the handle, as at Y Y, Fig 1.

A is the head. A A are cross-arms or lateral lugs thereon at the upperend.

B is the handle-bar.

O C are the handles.

D D are clamps,which secure the handlebar to the head.

(Z dare bolts, which effect the clamping described.

The handle-bar is preferably tubular, as shown in cross-section in Fig.2. It has been usual to form velocipede handle-bars with a bow upward oneach side of the head, in order to allow space for the limbs of therider to move in operating the pedals; but this form necessitates anadditional bend in order to bring the end of the handle-bars in properposition for thehandles. Inasmuch as thelimbs of the rider are inclinedfrom the seat downward and forward, the space for their proper movementcan be obtained by bowing the handle-bars forward, in substantiallyahorizontal plane,as Well as by bowing them upward, and when thus bowedthe ends extended tangen tially from the end of the curve are in properposition for the handles, thus obviating the necessity for an additionalhead. I therefore adopt this form, the bows B B being in substantially ahorizontal plane instead of a vertical, as heretofore. This form alsoenables me easily to bring the handles in position at the side of therider, where they may be grasped while holding the arms in an easier andless fatiguing position than is required when the handles are much infront. If the bows are made in a plane slightly inclined fromhorizontal, as in the drawings, the bar may be slightly curved upward atthe handles to bring them more nearly horizontal.

out, and on account of its curves could not well be connected to thehead by being inserted through it from the side, but must be applied toit from the front or rear. I form the head with the lateral arms or lugsA A The handlebar is made of one piece through projecting from the upperpart and provided sition in the groove a are passed over the lugs A A,respectively, and tightened by the clamping-bolts d d, which connect thelower end of each loop. In order to give the lugs A A the necessarystrength in the direction in which the pressure applied to the handlebarin guiding the machine acts upon them without giving them any greaterweight than is unavoidable, I form them thickestin the horizontal planeof the diameter of the handlebar, and, for convenience in finishing Imake their exterior outline semicircular, but eccentric to the cavity inwhich the handle bar tits, thereby gaining the increased thickness atthe desired point.

The necessity of the loops encircling both the lugs A and thehandle-bar, and for the bolts being on the lower side of the loops,arises from the fact that any projection from the cross arm or lugs Aon'the upper side such as would be necessary in order to secure a clampotherwise than by making it encircle the bars and lugs, as shown, or theprojecting ends of the loop, if bolted together above the bar-wouldfrequently be in the way of the rider and cause annoyance.

The handles 0 O are made of alternate scctions of yielding andunyielding material, preferably disks, arranged alternately on aspindle, the end of the handle serving the purpose of such spindle, andcompressed axially, as by a nut, c, on the end of the handle-bar, ashoulder, b, being formed on the bar to afford a stop for the other endof the handle. I prefer cork or soft rubber, or a like compressible andelastic substance, for one of the materials, and'vulcanized fiber, hardrubber, or metal for the other; and I prefer to cause the softer disk toproject slightly beyond the harder by applying sufficient pressureaxially, as by screwing up the nut c, to cause the softer disk to bulgeequatorially, as shown in the drawings. I do not, however, limit myselfto this mode of causing them to protrude, but they may be originallymade slightly greater in diameter. The sections of hard and softmaterial may alternate circumferentially instead of axially, being thussectoral in form, the dividing-planes being axial, and, if preferred,the outer portion'onl y may be formed as described, the central part andgreater portion of the bulk being homogeneous. Thus ahandle maybe madeof cork or like soft material, and a'strip of metal wound upon it andsunken in it, throwing up the ridges of cork between the coils of theencircling metal band. The advantage of this form of the handle is thatit affords the hand firmer grasp than a smooth handle, or than anentirely incompressible handle, as one made solely of metal or having ametal surface, and by reason of the furrows between the soft sectionsthere is opportunity for slight but sufficient ventilation, whichprevents the prespiration from the hand accumulating and rendering thegrasp of the hand insecure and uncomfortable; also, the materialsproposed for the compressible disk are poorer conductors of heat thanmetal or most harder substances and, since the hand comes into contactwith these and not with the hard or metallic disks, the hands are lessliableto become cold from grasping the handlesin cold weather.

A special purpose and advantage of this invention is to render possiblethe use of cork as a handle. Cork alone has not sufficient strength fora handle, and even when provided with a metal spindle it would crush andtear if exposed over large surfaces unprotected; but it has very manyproperties which make it desirable, being yielding, a non-absorbent ofmoisture, a non-eonductor,or very poor conductor of both heat andelectricity, and not unpleasant to the touch nor liable to become toosmooth or polished with use to afford a secure grasp to the hand. Inorder, therefore, to take advantageof these desirable properties andprovide the lacking quality of strength, I make the combinationdescribed with the hard substance, so that only small sections of thecork are exposed, and each section protected by adjacent sections ofhard material.

I claim horizontal plane, and thence extending back approximatelyparallel and terminating rear- 1 ward of the transverse vertical planeof the I head, substantially as set forth.

3. A velocipedehandle composed of sections of yielding and unyieldingmaterial, the yield- 1 ing sections being slightly greater in diameterthan the unyielding sections, whereby their peripheries form the surfacein contact with the hand of the operator, substantially as set forth.

4. A velocipede-handle composed of disks of yielding and unyieldingmaterial, alternately arranged on an axial stem and axially compressedto cause the yielding disks to bulge beyond the unyielding disks,substantially as set forth. 4 L

5. The velocipede-head provided with crossarms or lugs A-, exteriorlycircular, having a hollow in front to receive the handlebar andthickened at the rear, substantially as set forth.

, 6. The velocipede-head having cross arms or lugs A, provided with asemi-cylindrical 1101- low in front to receive a round handlebar, andhaving their rear surfaces curved eccentrically to the said fronthollow, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with the head having the cross arm or lug A, hollowedin front, the handle-bar located in such hollow, and the clamping-loopencircling both the handle-bar and the cross-arm, and having its endsconnected, as by the clamp bolt, on the under side of the handle-bar,substantially as set forth.

8. A handle the outer or superficial portion of which is composed ofsections of cork, alternating with and compressed between sections ofhard material, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

THOS. B. JEFFERY.

\Vitnesses:

R. PHILIP GORMULLY, CHAS. S. BURTON.

